malcolm chamberlain

So Greenbelt has been and gone for another year! When you have to go several days without a shower and use toilets that are, at best, a bit smelly, not to mention getting drenched in bank holiday rains... why do I love it so much?

Why... because Greenbelt brings together thousands of people with differing characteristics and perspectives into a weekend's celebration of creativity and faith. There is so much variety in terms of music, worship, talks, seminars, art installations, discussions, debates, comedy and animals (yes, there was even a mini farm this year!) In short, I always see Greenbelt, in its God-centred variety, to be a taste of heaven!

The highlights for me this year were the New Forms Cafe (pictured), which provided an excellent space for worship and discussion around a whole range of issues to do with emerging church (Dream and the two Spirited Exchanges UK sessions happened there) and the thought provoking Ikon service (see Pete Rollins' take on the service 'here')! Thanks Ben and Ian (and teams) for working so hard on New Forms - let's hope it returns next year!

If you took photos at Greenbelt, add them to the flickr group and post any comments/reflections on your experience of the festival here (especially if you were at Dream or the Spirited Exchanges sessions and have comments to make).

If you want to find out what others thought, Jonny Baker has some good reflections (with some interesting comments in response) 'here', and Paul Chambers has written a Greenbelt poem 'here'.

Labels: Greenbelt